One day after Cowboys owner Jerry Jones gave struggling Felix Jones a vote of confidence in an interview with a Dallas radio station, coach Jason Garrett said the fifth-year pro will continue to return kicks.

Felix Jones fumbled the opening kickoff in Sunday's 27-7 loss to Seattle, prompting Garrett on Monday to stress the need for ball security while saying the club would explore other options on kickoffs.

But on Wednesday, his thinking was more in line with that of his boss.

“When you evaluate any player, you evaluate his most recent game, but you also evaluate his body of work,” Garrett said. “Felix's body of work has been pretty darn good. We will have Felix back there.”

Asked if Jerry Jones' comments undermined his authority, Garrett said he's happy with the Cowboys' way of making decisions.

“One of the things we do a really good job of in this organization is we discuss things,” Garrett said. “The Joneses and I discuss a lot of things. Our staff and I discuss a lot of things. ... The lines of communication are open. There is no thing that's going to be my decision, or his decision, or that guy's decision.

“That's just the way it works, and we think that's a good thing.”

Hit on Lee draws fine: The NFL fined Seahawks receiver Golden Tate $21,000 for his blindside block on linebacker Sean Lee, according to several reports.

“Crack-back hits, that's not a definition of toughness,” Lee told reporters Wednesday in Irving. “A definition of toughness is hitting, squaring up, being able to do your job as hard as you can every single play. That's at least what I believe. Anybody can crack-back block.”

Despite missing six plays because of Tate's hit, Lee tied a franchise record with a team-credited 21 tackles, including 15 solo stops. Ring of Honor member Lee Roy Jordan also had 21 on Sept. 26, 1971, against Philadelphia.